Pin spotter



Jan. 29, 1929. 1.,'700Q175 J. LsEN PIN SPOTTER- Fued May 2, 1927 Patented Jan. 29, 1929.

UNITED STATES JOHN oLsEN, or noox RAPIDS, IOWA. Y

PIN SPOTTER.

Application led May 2,

The object of my invention is to provide a pin spotter of the kind used in bowling alleys of simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

A more particular purpose of the present invention is to provide such a pin spotter having certain novel features of construction and arrangement, whereby efficiency in the operation of the device is made certain and 1o easy.

Another object of my present invention is to provide a pin spotter having parts so constructed and arranged as to facilitate the convenience of installing the spotter in the bowling alley.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my pin spotter, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as herinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a bowling alley equipped with a pin spotter embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a pin spotter embodying my invention.

Figure 3 is al detail, sectional view taken on the line 3*-3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is an enlarged, illustrating one of the centering fingers of the s otter in its environment when installe and Figure 5 is an enlarged, sectional view of a portion of the spotter, illustrating the detail structure of the fingers.

In bowling alleys, it is desirable to have some means for accurately spotting the pins.

Pin setters are generally used, but they do not always accurately set the pins exact-ly on the proper spots, and there is therefore the necessity for a spotter, which will simultaneously adjust all of the pins for accu-u rately placing them.

In the drawings herewith, I have used the reference numeral l0 to indicate generally the floor of a bowling alley at the side ofv which is the ball race 12.

At the rear end of the alley floor 10, there isv the lower cushioned floor 14 with the sectional View j 1927. Serial No. 188,187.

which can be installed below the rear end of the alley floor for projecting a plurality of fingers upwardly through the floor in the centers of the spots where the pins stand. These fingers may be projected into the pins for properly spotting them.

It will be noted that the floor 10 is provided with spots 20 for placing the pins 22.

My improved pin spotter comprises a suitable supporting frame A having the rear transverse member 24, the side members 26 extended forwardly and toward each other, and the front cross member 28 as yshown in Figure 2.

Arranged to cooperate with the frame A is a movable frame B'triangular in shape and comprising angle bars 30 arranged with horizontal fianges and outer vertical flanges 30a and 30". i

At the corners of the frame B are yokes or the like 32, which are supported in any suitable way as for instance on the frame A for guiding the frame B in its up and down movement.

The frame B is provided with one transverse connecting frame member 34.

Mounted in the angle bars of the frame B and in the frame member 34 are suitable fingers 36, having tapered upper ends 36a. These fingers are so mounted as to have a limited amount of play and to be readily detachable from above.

In the frame members of the frame B at proper places are holes 38. For each hole 38, there is provided a sleeve or socket 40 having in its upper portion a threaded hole 43 to receive the threaded end 36b of the finger 36.

The hole 38 is large enough to loosely receive the socket 40 and allow considerable pla-y thereof.

A small stirrup side of the fiange 30a' of the frame B. The stirrup 42 has a rivet 42a positioned to eX- tend from one side thereof to the other and loosely projected through a hole 44 in the socket 40. The socket 40 rests ontthe bottom of the stirrup 42.

It will thus be seen that the socket 40 and the finger 36 mounted therein has some vertical play and some horizontal play in every direction as illustrated in Figure 5.

In the floor 10 at the center of each spot 20 is a hole 46 in which is mounted a buslh ing 48 to serve as a guide and Wearing metris ber for the .finger 36.

42 is fixed to the under The spot`20 may be of ebony, fiberor'the like, and the upper end of the bushing 46 is flush with the top thereof, which has a hole 50 to receive the bushing 48.

Each pin 22 has in its bottom a countersink 52 with a beveled wall, as shownfand at the upper end or apex ofthe countersink, it has an upwardly projecting bore 54.

It will be seenthat when the pins 22are set on the spots 20, it is quite diliicult to exactly center' them on the spots.

Assuming that they `have been set with ordinary accuracy, then when the frame =B is pushed upwardly from belowVthe fingers 36 willfirst enter thecountersinks .52 kand then the bores 54 for accurately spotting the pins 22. v

It will be understood ithat normally the `frame E is `.lowered to position where .the .fingers 36 are wholly receviedin the floor in the `position for instance illustrated in Figure 4. p .y

.I will now 'explain the mechanism for raising the frame B.

Mountedon the frame A between the side members26 thereof, near the forward end of the frame A,'is a cross member56 on which is mounted a bracket 58. 4Mounted on the rear frame member24 .ofthe frame A is a bracket 60. A Ufshaped lifting .yoke V62'has `lever .76, having an upsta-nding` pair of arms,

to which is pivoted the lforward end of a link 78. The link 78 has Vits rear end pivoted between the ears 72 of the arm .66.

The bell crank 7 6 has a forwardly project ing arm which normallystands below a cross bar 8O on the frame B. l

The central portion of the Vlinki78 is offset downwardly, vso as to extend below the frame member 34 and the rear member of-the frame B. The parts are `thus so mounted `thatfby depressingthe footpeda] 68 or theextension 70, the forwardly extending arms 62a of the yoke 62 will engage the member 7.4, and the forwardly extending arm of the bell crank 7 6 will engage the cross bar 80.

The frame B will thus be held vlevel as .it is raised Vand this will prevent anypossible binding of the lingers 36 in the bushings 48 or spots 20.

The frame A mayibeblocked .up Vby supports 82 from the sub-floorbeneaththerbowling alley Hoor 10 or may behung in any suitable way from the under surface of thev bowling' alley floor l0. normally rest by reason of its weight on the frame A.

I will now explain with a little more fullnessthe installation and operation of my im .proved .pm spotter and in connection with `time of the original building of thefloor,

the problemof'installationis arather simple one. The .frame A can be supported from below the .floor l() or shored up or votherwise supported from below in any suitable way to giveit rigidmounting.

VVhereit is desirable'to install the spotter under a floor thatlhas been laid, a more diiiicult iproblem arises.

Frequently the installation must be lmade in a space of relatively little height. It is therefore desirable to be able to detach the fingers 36 during such installation.

I haveitherefore provided the form of device in which the fingers "36 maybe unscrewed from the sockets 40. he two frames may be `slid under the fioor 10, and the lframe A shored up,.as shown in Figure', and then the fingers r36 may be inserted through the spot .holes Vfrom above and screwed into the sockets 40.

I can thus install my spotterin a narrower space, than would be possible if it were not for the detachability of the fingers 36.

Another desirable "feature arising` from the detachability of the finger 36 arises from the fact that in case one of the fingers 36 should become broken accidentally, the portion remaining in the socket 4() may be taken out and a new finger 36 inserted from above, without removing the "frames A and B from theirinstallation under tbevfloor l0.

It is not such a difiicult proposition to make the fingers3'6 detachable, but it is somewhat of a problem to make. them detachable, and at thesame time to permit them'have that freeplay, which is highly desirable in a device of'this kind.

This Yfreeplay"Iilrave,provided for by the detachable threaded connectionbetween the finger 36 andthesocke't 40 andby means of theloose playA of the socket "4() in the hole 38 and on the rivet or arm 42a.

Assuming that the device has been installed a-nd is ready for use, it will be seen that ytheframe B ordinarily will rest on the frameA.

, Assume then that the pins 22 are set on the spots20feither by the pin boy or`by a pin setter, then the foot pedal 68 may be depressed or the extension 70 may be engagetl and depressed as 'by means Vof the The frame B will structure shown in my coepending application, Serial No. 191,684 filed May 16, 1927, whereupon the arm 62a and the bell crank 76 will lift the frame B, retaining it in horizontal posit-ion, so that the lingers 36 will not bind, for raising the ngers 36 vertically.

The ngers will engage the beveled walls of the countersinks 52 in the case of any pins 22 not then exactly centered, sliding the pins 22 toward proper central position until the lingers 36 enter the portions 54 for accurately spotting the pins 22.

The frame B may then be permitted to drop, and the pins 22 will be in exactly the tical purposes and yet is held in substantially horizontal position during its rising and lowering movement.

The lingers 36 are easily detachable from the sockets 40 so as to permit their replacement from above the floor 1() without taking out the frames A and B, and so as to permit the installation of the frames under a floor that has already been laid, and the subsequent insertion of the lingers 36 from above. Ample play of the fingers 36 is permitted by reason of the structure by which they are mounted on the frame B. 4The bushings 48 protect the Hoor against wear and are used wherever it seems desirable to employ them.

It will be understood that changes may bek madel in the shape, material, construction and v arrangement of the parts of my improved said frame, a plurality of socket members, a

plurality of stirrup devices secured to said frame, said socketsbeing loosely mounted in said stirrup devices for limited vertical and horizontal movement and a plurality of lingers Xed to said socket members.

2. In a pin spotter, a` trame, yokes, means for raising and lowering said movable frame, a plurality of substantially upright lingers, a plurality of sockets mounted on said frame for limited vertical and horizontal movement, said fingers and sockets having cooperating parts for detachably connecting them together.

3. In a pin spotter, a frame, means for support-ing said frame for limited vertical movement, means for raising and lowering said frame in a horizontal plane, a plurality of upright lingers, a plurality of sockets, said frame having a plurality of holes for loosely receiving said sockets, said sockets and lingers having coacting means for detachably connecting them together, and means for mounting the sockets on the frame for limited vertical movement.

4. In a pin spotter, a frame, means for supporting said frame for limited vertical movement, means for raisingand lowering said frame in a horizontal plane, a plurality ot' upright lingers, a plurality of sockets, said trame having a plurality of holes for loosely receiving said sockets, said sockets and lingers having coacting lmeans for detachably connecting them together, and means for mounting` the sockets on the frame for lim! ited, horizontal movement.

5. Ina pin spotter, a frame, means yfor supporting said frame for limited vertical movement, means for raising and loweringy said frame in a horizontal plane, a plurality of upright lingers, a plurality of sockets, said frame having a plurality of holes for loosely receiving said sockets, said sockets and lingers having coacting means for detachably connecting them together, and means for 

